Whales & Walkers
by MagicallyTragic
Summary: Another one of those one shot/drabble collections. Mostly Deryn/Alek but will probably also include other people and beasties.
1. Beautiful

A/n: Hello and welcome to my first go at fan fiction! Hope you enjoy it!

**"Beautiful" **

Alek had had a long, tiring day. He'd spent it following Dr. Barlow around acting as her secretary, taking notes and organizing papers and carrying her briefcase. It was not as easy job. He been dragged to every corner of the London Zoo compound, upstairs, downstairs and back again. As Deryn would say, he was pure dead knackered.

It might have been bearable if Deryn had been there with him but unfortunately, she hadn't. Dr. Barlow had sent her off on errands around London right after breakfast. The last he'd seen her she was heading out the front gate with Tazza her heels and Bovril on her shoulder.

Alek was wondering how she had faired as he opened the door to their flat. When he stepped inside, he had to stop and smile at what he found.

Deryn was stretched out on the couch, fast asleep. Her suspenders were at her side, the first couple of buttons on her shirt were unbuttoned and her hair was tousled. She had a pencil in one hand, her sketchbook on her stomach and Bovril curled up next to her. Alek noticed she was just tall enough that she didn't quite fit on the couch so her socked feet hung over one armrest.

Alek went over and sat on the coffee table, his long day now forgotten. He couldn't help but think that she had never looked prettier. When his parents were still alive, Alek had met all sort of royalty, princesses and duchesses and the like with their elaborate hair and extravagant dresses. At the time he thought they were pretty. Now, every last one of them paled in comparison to the way he saw Deryn. She was beautiful to him, no matter what the rest of the world saw.

Alek could have sat there the rest of the day, just watching her but he knew Deryn would be more than a little annoyed if he let her sleep through dinner. He reached over and shook her gently. "Deryn?" he said. "Deryn wake up."

She slowly opened her eyes and yawned. When she focused on Alek, she smiled. "Alek," she said, still with a hint of sleep in her voice, "did you just get home?"

He nodded. "It took me forever to escape Dr. Barlow."

"Barking lady boffin," Deryn said, sitting up.

"Ready for dinner?"

Deryn grinned. "Of course!" She buttoned up her shirt, pulled her suspenders back into place and started lacing up her boots. When she was done, she looked up to find Alek still staring at her.

"What?" she said.

"You're beautiful," he said before he could think about it.

Deryn rolled her eyes. "You're daft."

"One of these days you'll believe me."

She rolled her eyes again and stood up. Before she could turn towards the door, however, Alek pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Deryn replied and then added with a grin, "even if you are daft." She untangled herself from his arms in order to pull on her jacket and collect Bovril. "Come on, I'm starving!"

He smiled as he followed her out the door. She really was beautiful.

A/n: I'll try to update soon, but I can't really make any promises. I'll try my best!


	2. Mr Sharp

Hello! Sorry this update took so long! Life sort of got in the way.

**Mr. Sharp **

When Alek was small, he'd always imagined his wedding would be like the royal weddings he had attended with his parents. It would be an extravagant affair, held in the grandest cathedral with all the most important royals in all of Europe in attendance. His bride would be draped in jewels with a train half the length of a cricket pitch. Yes, it would be quite the affair.

His actually wedding turned out to be quite the opposite. And Alek couldn't have been happier.

He stood in the justice of the peace's office in a small town in Upstate New York with with one hand intertwined with Deryn's at his side. It had taken a bit of explaining at first, since she was still playing the part of Dylan, but they finally convinced the justice of the peace that she was, in fact, a girl and he agreed to marry them.

Lilt stood behind them, as their witness. The whole thing had been her idea, after all. Deryn and Alek had been visiting her in New York and she had somehow talked them into taking the train upstate and eloping. It hadn't really taken a lot of convincing.

The justice of the peace read the vows and Alek and Deryn exchanged rings, both simple gold bands. Finally, he said, "You may kiss the bride." Before Alek could do anything, however, Deryn grabbed him and was kissing him. Lilit let out a whoop and Bovril chuckled on her shoulder. And just like that, they were married.

An hour later, they were in a train compartment on their way back to Manhattan. Alek had the marriage license in his jacket pocket, the very same pocket where he used to keep his letter from the pope. This slip of paper, he thought as Deryn slid her hand into his, was far more important than any letter from a pope could be.

"So," Deryn said, elbowing him playfully, "how does it feel to be Mr. Sharp?"

"Mr. Sharp!" Bovril added happily. The wee beastie now curled up on Deryn's lap had seemed ecstatic since its two favorite people had tied the knot.

Alek look confused. "What?"

"You don't have a proper last name, now do you? I guess that means you're stuck with mine!"

Lilit burst out laughing. "You have to admit, it's fitting," she said.

"Mr. Sharp..." Alek mused. "I supposed I could get used to get it."

"Mr. Sharp!" Bovril said again gleefully.

Deryn laughed. "Aye, beastie."

Lilt stood up and stretched. "I think I'll go find a cup of coffee. Have fun, you two." She gave Deryn a wink and disappeared out the compartment door.

Alek slid his thumb over the gold band on Deryn's finger. "I can't believe we're married," he said.

Deryn raised her eyebrows. "You had doubts?"

Alek shook his head. "No. I just meant..." He searched for the right words. "I didn't think it was possible to be this happy."

Deryn's expression softened and she looked down at their intertwined hands. "I guess we're really stuck with each other now."

"You had doubts?"

Deryn laughed. "Never!" She leaned in and kissed him.

When they finally pulled apart, she said, "You know, his countship and the lady boffin are going to murder us when they find out."

Alek groaned. She was right. "Volger's never going to let me hear the end of it, is he?"

Deryn shook her head. "He'll be barking insufferable, I reckon."

Alek knew it was true. Even years later, Volger still didn't quite approve of his relationship with Deryn. Now he had not only married her, he had gone off and eloped in the most un-princely like way possible. Volger was sure to have more than a few words on the matter.

Dr. Barlow, on the other hand, had always been supportive of Deryn and Alek and as such, they both knew she was not going to be happy to be left out of their marriage. And she was not one to keep her opinions to herself, either.

Yes, it was certain they were going to get an earful when they got back to London. Not to mention Deryn's family when they found out.

Alek looked at Deryn next to him, a crooked grin playing on her lips and he decided he didn't care. "It's worth it," he said finally.

Her grin spread as she leaned closer. "Couldn't agree more."

She kissed him and they only thought in either of their minds was that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. That was really all that mattered.

"Mr. Sharp," Bovril whispered to himself with a chuckle.


End file.
